A 31-year-old Mexican national was found guilty of drug charges in Federal Court after his June arrest in Hilo.
Luis Miguel Castro Alavez was found guilty of conspiracy and attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine by a federal jury in October.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case which was initiated after Hawaii Police Department personnel were contacted by a Hilo vacation rental landlord.
According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office, “During at least June 15, 2023 to June 28, 2023, Castro Alavez conspired with persons in Hawaii, California, and Mexico to distribute methamphetamine in Hawaii. Castro Alavez flew from California to Hilo, stayed in a vacation rental, and waited for a shipment of methamphetamine to arrive in the mail from his co-conspirators in California. On June 28, 2023, the landlord of the vacation rental, upon partially opening the parcel after its arrival, discovered suspected drugs and contacted Hawaii Police, who arrested Castro Alavez later that day. Prior to the arrival of the parcel, Castro Alavez wired payments from Hilo to his co-conspirators in Mexico and mailed cash packed into chocolate boxes to his co-conspirators in California.”
The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawaii County Police Department.
Castro Alavez, through a Spanish-language interpreter, allegedly told a Homeland Security Investigations special agent that a Mexican male approached him in a California nightclub on June 15 and recruited him for work in Hilo, according to a criminal complaint filed in July in U.S. District Court. Castro-Alavez, thought that meant migrant labor, however he became entangled in a drug distribution ring.
Castro Alavez was ordered to appear for sentencing on Feb. 7, 2024.
Both counts carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
